WINEMAKING

Making wine at 51 degrees north was never going to be easy. It is impossible to overestimate the burden of vineyard work and the ongoing level of sacrifice and dedication that is needed to nudge the dial favourably towards balance and flavour.

What makes all the toil and investment worthwhile at Danbury Ridge, is that the salt coast mesoclimate has passed through a significant threshold for ripeness. Dropping crop, leaf removal and de-vigourating practices make sense because they are enhancing rather than remedial or reparative.

Integrating the vines into the environment is one side of a coin. The flipside is revealed in the winery, where a different form of integration and nurturing occurs, between the fruit and winemaking.

Again, the level of investment and devotion required is sobering. Sparkling wines are Coquard-pressed, and the still wines gravity-fed into a mix of small oak open top fermenters and Nomblot concrete tanks.

Reviews

SOLSTICE BY DANBURY RIDGE, 17 points

"Deep golden straw colour. Really quite a rich, ripe nose of stewed apricots that's slightly at odds with the high acidity on the palate but it certainly makes a statement! Markedly gentle bead. Bone-dry finish. Dosage (4.8 g/l in the sample I tasted in September 2022) is well judged. No hint of excess sweetness. Well done!"

Jancis Robsinson jancisrobinson.com

2020 DANBURY RIDGE OCTAGON BLOCK CHARDONNAY, 95 points

"With 19 months on the lees, this single vineyard chardonnay has the wow! Factor. It’s aromatically intense, with plenty of smoky and nutty oak, so much so that it’s halfway to Chablis premier cru; then the intense and concentrated fruit kicks in, with powerful flavours are supported by a delicious spine of citrusy acidity for a very long finish."

Anthony Rose The Real Review

2022 DANBURY RIDGE CHARDONNAY, 92 points

"The 2022 Chardonnay has a taut and linear bouquet with clementine and apricot. Fresh and vibrant, the wine opens up gradually in the glass. The palate has a lovely texture, which marks it out from the previous vintage, much more weight. With very fine delineation and minerality, it’s beautifully balanced, deepening towards the finish with a prickle of stem ginger that feels more pithy and, therefore, has greater umami that the previous vintage. Superb."

Neal Martin Vinous

❮ ❯
IMG_6149

WINEMAKER, LIAM IDZIKOWSKI

As one of the first winemakers to recognise the world-class potential of fruit grown in Essex, Liam has spearheaded the ambitious production of premium still wines in the UK.
 
Growing up in Northern Ireland meant Liam travelled to learn his trade in California, Australia, South Africa and the Rhone. Working for world-renowned wineries like Tyrrells Estate in Australia’s Hunter Valley, and Williams Selyem in the Russian River Valley, California, meant Liam was able to hone his fastidious eye for detail.
 
Since passing his degree in Viticulture and Oenology with First-Class Honours, Liam has built a reputation for crafting some of the finest still and sparkling wines yet released by UK vineyards.
 
At Danbury Ridge, Liam has been instrumental in the design and creation of the winery and has full autonomy to create exceptional quality wines.